Trolley-catcher



(NoM'odeL) Y W. L. BROWNE. .TROLLBY- OATOHER.

No. 488,706. Patented Dec; 27,1892.

nu nu nu m1 u UNHED STATES ATENT FFICE.

TROLLEY-CATCHER.

I SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 488,706, datedDecember 27, 1892.

Application filed July 3, 1892- Serial No. 439,393 (No model.) I

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM L. BROWNE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Worcester, in the county of Worcester and State ofMassachusetts, have invented a new and usefulTrolley-Catcher forElectric Cars, of which the following, together with the accompanyingdrawings, is a specification sufficiently full, clear, and exact toenable persons skilled in the art to which this invention appertains tomake and use the same.

This invention relates to certain improvements in that class of trolleycatchers described in Letters Patent No. 418,942, heretofore granted tome; the object of the present invention being to provide a more compactand efficient mechanism for winding in the trolley rope, and also toafford means for guiding the rope by the pawl mechanism to prevent thedisplacement of the rope in its action.

Another object is to provide, in combination with a trolley-catcher, asignal device controlled therefrom, or means for automatically notifyingthe motor-man when the trolley leaves the power wire. I

I attain these objects bya mechanism constructed and organized asillustrated and explained in the following description; the particularsubject-matter claimed being hereinafter definitely specified.

In the drawings, Figure l is a side view of the top of a car, itstrolley pole and the line wire, illustrating the manner in which myimproved mechanism is arranged therewith. Fig.2 is an end view of myimproved trolleycatcher mechanism. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the sametogether with the automatic signaling devices. Fig. 4 is a section viewthrough one of the spring chambers and volnte-coil springs. I

In referring to parts, A denotes the line or power-wire; B the trolleypole carrying the trolley 19 at its head and having itslower end hingedand mounted upon the car in any well known manner.

0 indicates the car provided with the usual hoods c; and (1 indicatesthe rope for controlling the trolley-pole in usual manner.

The trolley-catcher mechanism comprises a drum and actuating springs forautomatically winding up the rope, and a let-0E that permits themechanism to act when the trolley, from any accidental cause, escapesfrom the powerwire A, the purpose or general operation being similar tothat described in my former patent; but the present means. being ofimproved structure.

F indicates the winding drum fixed on a shaft F that is journaled inhanger-brackets or heads E adapted by suitable ears or attaching platesE to be secured to the hood of the car, as in Fig. 1 The heads E areeach chambered cylindrically to serve as a case or barrel for theactuating springs, and each incloses a vol-ute-coiled flat steel springG which is suitably connected with the barrel and with the shaft Fto'exert its force for turning the winding drum F. The spring-chambershave suitable removable caps e. The ratchet wheels H are fixed on therespective ends of the drum shaft outside the heads E, and pawl levers Iare fulcrumed on the heads E, as at i, the points of which engage therespective ratchets, while their other ends extend backwaFd and arejoined to each other by two rods 1 1 as shown in Fig. 3, in a manner toprovide an inclosed slot or space J through which the rope is guided,and thereby prevented from becoming displaced in its run onto or fromthe drum. At one end of the drum there is a grip or snap device 5 forcatching the rope onto the drum and permitting itsready disengagementtherefrom Said grip is preferably made as aprojecting finger with aspringpressed dog 6 arranged so that the rope with a knot at its endwill be held by simply passing it beneath the grip finger.

Combined with the trolley-catch mechanism I employ signaling devicesthat are automatically actuated in conjunction with the trolley-catcherto give notice to the motor-man when the trolley escapes from the powerline.

The signal in the present instance consists of.

a bell K supported beneath the hood at the opposite end of the car fromthe drum F. The bell is provided with a suitable striker L, an operatingarbor m and a spring M for actuating the same. A cord or pull n extendsfrom the arbor m (or a drum m thereon) to a groove or sheave F on therope-winding drum F; said cord being arranged so that when the drumoperates for winding on the rope the cord n will be drawn onto thesheave F and the bell sounded; then when the rope ICO d is drawn fromthe drum the cord at is released therefrom and re-wonnd on the signalarbor m by the action of its spring M.

In the operation, the springs are held strained by the ratchets andpawls while the trolley is on the power wire, and in case the trolleyescapes therefrom and flies upward the pull on the rope d raises therear ends of the pawls I releasing the ratchets, and the springs G actto rotate the drum F and wind in the rope cl drawing the trolley down tothe v position indicated by dotted lines Fig. 1, at the same time bywinding in the cord 77, causing the signal bell K to sound.

I claim as my invention herein to be secured by Letters Patent,

1. The pawl-levers having their arms connected across by two bars, orforming an i11- closed rope-guiding space, in combination, with thespring-actuated drum, its fulcrumsupporting brackets, theratchet-wheels, and the trolley-pole rope, substantially as set forth.

2. In a trolley-catcher, the winding drum provided with the snap-dogorgripping device for retaining the rope end in connection with saiddrum, as set forth, in combination, with the drum-support bracketsattached to the hood of the car, the actuating springs, ratchets, pawls,and trolley-pole rope, for the purpose specified.

3. The combination, with the trolley and car, of an automatictrolley-catcher attached to the rear part of the car, a signaling devicelocated at the front part of the car, and a cord or pull connecting saidsignal and trolleycatcher, whereby the signal device is auto maticallyactuated by the operation of said trolley-catcher, for the purpose setforth.

4. The combination, of the rope-winding drum having the groove or sheavethereon, its supporting brackets, actuating springs, ratohets and pawls,the signal-bell, its strikeroperating arbor and windingspring; and thecord or pull connecting said signal-operating arbor with the Windingdrum sheave, all substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

Witness my hand this 6th day of July, A.

WILLIAM L. BROWNE. Witnesses:

GHAs. H. BURLEIGH, DAVID S. MoOALLUM.

